Building the Perfect Homepage

Building the Perfect Homepage

by CF FoundryNov 21, 2012

For the vast majority of websites, the home page is the primary landing page - it is the page that everyone will see first and will get the most views, especially as you calculate in viewing statistics, such as bounce and conversion rates. Thus the home page is your selling page; it needs to describe quickly and succinctly what you care, what you do, and what your core differentiators are (why someone should do business with you). This is your selling page and needs to sell your business, organization, or whatever your website represents and do so within a few seconds. You'll have about four seconds to keep visitors from hitting the back button and about another 20 seconds or so to sell them.

Your home page is your business' face to the world and how it looks to you is not nearly as important as how well it resonates with your website visitors. Whether we are working with local Atlanta, GA businesses or clients elsewhere in the country, we always recommend that they employ a focus group or other public review of their website to guide them and provide independent, unbiased input as to how their site layout should look and function.

When redesigning your site or building your first site, CF Foundry will work with you from the initial kickoff meeting to work on the site layout, including the home page, which will establish the theme, color palette, branding, and other core elements that will be used through the site. As CF Foundry works with you for your website, it is important to have your key stakeholders participate to ensure that the design drafting process goes as quickly and smoothly as possibly. People participating in these meetings should be prepared to address the following issues for the home page layout:

What are the key content/differentiators that needs to be presented on the home page

What are the pain points with the current home page?

What are the other key areas of the site that people visit after the home page?

What is the messaging, color palettes, branding, and other core elements used throughout your other marketing material?

What feedback has been received regarding the existing home page?

What is the abandonment rate for the current home page and what key words are driving its traffic?